Healy-Rae hands over €2,639 for Dáil phone calls

TAXPAYERS have been reimbursed for the €2,639 worth of telephone calls made from within Leinster House in support of Michael Healy-Rae in a TV reality show.

The independent TD handed the money to Oireachtas authorities despite insisting he has no idea who was responsible for the 3,636 calls while he took part in the Celebrities Go Wild series in October 2007 when his father Jackie was a deputy.

Mr Healy-Rae took over the Kerry South seat from his father at the last general election after his national profile had been raised by victory in the RTÉ show.